Cherry Blossoms
by Peppermint Kiss
Summary: This chronicles the journey of Sakura and Sasuke...they are both seeking something, but will they find it each other? The ups and downs, the good times and the bad, they're all featured in here :D SasuSaku fluff! CHAPTER FOUR HAS BEEN ADDED!
1. Introduction

**Cherry Blossoms**

Disclaimer: Oh, the painful truth. I own nothing related to Naruto, no matter how many times I've tried to convince myself otherwise.

* * *

"Sakura." 

Sakura turned from her books to look at the person who had interrupted her studying. She hoped it was Sasuke, but when she saw the green suit, the bowl cut, and the bushy eyebrows, she drooped.

"Hey, Lee."

"Sakura, you are like the most precious cherry blossom in the wind. May I not catch you and carry you with me always?"

Outer Sakura kept on smiling, but Inner Sakura got so disturbed at Lee's horrific poetry that she had to go and cry in a dark corner. Outer Sakura twitched just the slightest bit when Lee clasped his hand in hers.

"Be mine, Sakura!"

"Lee, that's nice and all, but like I've said before, I'm not interested. Your poetry was appreciated though." Sakura plastered on a fake smile for Lee's benefit.

Lee frowned, but soon beamed up at Sakura again. "Yes, I thought you might say that. Well, I shall try again next time. Until then, farewell my Sakura!"

"Bye, Lee."

As soon as the door to Sakura's office in the hospital next to Tsunade's had slid closed and Sakura could hear Lee's footsteps fading into the distance, Sakura slumped back into her chair and rubbed her eyes. "At least Lee went willingly this time," she muttered, exasperated with Rock Lee's many attempts to romanticize her and make her his.

Except, as she said, she wasn't interested, because her heart had already been taken by none other than one Sasuke Uchiha.

No, it wasn't a fangirl love/obsession anymore, as it had been so many years ago. It had developed into a kind of twisted friendship in the time spent with Team 7.

_"Sakura, you are like the most precious cherry blossom in the wind. May I not catch you and carry you with me always?" _Lee's words still rang in her head, and Sakura couldn't help but think what the words would sound like had it been Sasuke who was speaking.

Sakura's heart had broken when Sasuke had left to pursue Itachi by learning new powers from Orochimaru. Sakura had felt real pain, and she had felt real worry for Sasuke.

But three years later, Sasuke stumbled back into Konoha, his curse mark raging angrily. He was bloody, torn, and cut up, but his Sharingan eyes sparkled with triumph. Sakura had been one of the first to catch sight of Sasuke, and all Sasuke said before collapsing in Sakura's arms was that he had killed Orochimaru and Itachi.

It had taken Sasuke a while to recover from not only the physical injuries wreaked on him by Orochimaru's ninja followers, but also by the damage the curse mark had done to him. Konoha's own experienced curse sealers had managed to permanently seal the curse set on him by Orochimaru, and Sasuke had undergone several months of intense therapy to train his chakra back from the evil.

Sakura had been with him every minute of the way. Naruto would have stayed by Sasuke's side too and be an annoying jerk the whole time, except for the fact that Naruto had gone to visit Gaara with Jiraiya and Kakashi and would be gone for nearly a year.

Now Sasuke was…Sasuke again. He was the same arrogant prick that Sakura remembered ever since their first day together with Naruto and Kakashi-sensei as Team 7.

Sakura bowed her head over her books again. She wondered what it would be like to be in Sasuke's position, being the only remaining member of your whole clan.

A voice interrupted Sakura's thoughts again.

"Sakura."

Sakura sighed impatiently, annoyed at being interrupted from her pondering.

"Lee, I told you, I'm not interested. Now go away!"

However this time, the voice chuckled and Sakura turned to look right at Sasuke leaning casually against the doorframe.

"S-Sasuke!"

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter! This is only the beginning, as a kind of introduction. Reviews will be much appreciated, and flames will be used to make ramen. 


	2. The Ball

**Cherry Blossoms – Chapter Two**

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, any characters of Naruto, or anything Naruto-related. That's the sad and painful truth, folks.

And this chapter is going to get a bit AU…_italics_ are Sakura's thoughts. The fluff commences, and Sakura sounds like a fangirl at times, although to clear things up, SHE ISN'T.

* * *

**_Previously…_**

A voice interrupted Sakura's thoughts again.

"Sakura."

Sakura sighed impatiently, annoyed at being interrupted from her pondering.

"Lee, I told you, I'm not interested. Now go away!"

However this time, the voice chuckled and Sakura turned to look right at Sasuke leaning casually against the doorframe.

"S-Sasuke!"

* * *

"Sakura," Sasuke repeated, walking into the room. "How are you?"

"F-Fine," Sakura stuttered out. _Dammit Sakura, stop stuttering! _

"I take it you've heard of the ball Tsunade announced as a celebration that Konoha is safe at last from Orochimaru?" Sakura distinctly heard Sasuke mutter something about how pointless the ball was and how he was going to be honored.

"A ball?" Sakura dimly echoed. "Oh, right." _Sakura, stop acting like a stupid fool in front of Sasuke!_

Sakura remembered Tsunade had been telling her about the ball just the other day, but Sakura had been paying more attention to her books than to her mentor.

"So, Sakura, it's a ball to celebrate the spirit of Konoha, and as a way to honor all of the shinobi that fought for our village in the fight against Orochimaru and the Akatsuki." Tsunade had said, excitement in her voice.

"_Wonderful," Sakura had said, but her eyes remained on the page she had been poring over._

Sakura's attention snapped back to Sasuke when she realized he had started talking again.

"Sakura, um…"

_DID SASUKE JUST BLUSH???? _

_No, it must have been an illusion_.

"…wouldyougototheballwithme?"

Sakura blinked. "What?"

Sasuke took a deep breath. "Can't you hear right? I asked you to go to the ball with me, you idiot."

Inner Sakura gaped in shock, and then started running victory laps. Outer Sakura stared at Sasuke.

Sasuke huffed impatiently. "A yes or no would do, Sakura."

"Y-Yes," Sakura muttered, immediately blushing.

_Aaaaargh my forehead looks even BIGGER when I blush! No!_

Sasuke turned to go after he had heard Sakura's answer, but something made Sakura get up from her chair and walk after Sasuke.

"Sasuke, why me? Why ask me when you could pick any one of your fangirls to go? I-I thought you hated me!"

Sakura couldn't believe the words tumbling out of her mouth, and regretted them instantly.

Sasuke faced Sakura, and put his hand on her cheek. "Sakura, you're different. And just for the record, I don't hate you."

Sasuke quietly walked away and closed the door behind him, while Sakura gaped after him in surprise.

* * *

_Damn, Sasuke has sexy fingers… _

_

* * *

_

_** The night of the ball…**_

Sakura really thought that Tsunade went over the top.

The ball was nice though, although Sakura thought they could have done away with the herald announcing the shinobi, the massive amounts of shinobi from not only Konoha but other villages as well, the highly expensive band recruited to play music, and the endless banners that stretched across the room.

"Uchiha Sasuke! Accompanying him, Haruno Sakura!"

The doors swung open (another lavish point Sakura would have done away with, had she been in power) and Sasuke extended a hand to Sakura, which she took.

Strong hand, sexy fingers…damn Sasuke.

The ballroom below immediately erupted into whispers and mutterings as most of Sasuke's fangirls had arrived. Sakura got many an envious look aimed at her as she gracefully descended (or tried to gracefully descend, at any rate) the grand staircase.

"Sasuke!" Ino somehow managed to push her way through the crowd of swooning fangirls. "So glad you could make it!" She smiled sweetly at Sasuke, and Sasuke smiled politely back.

Sakura sent a death glare to Ino, and resisted the urge to send her rival flying across the room.

"Nice to see you again, Sakura and Sasuke," Neji said, glancing at them with his lavender-tinted white eyes. Sakura nodded her head to show her greetings, before Neji turned and let the crowd swallow him up again.

The band struck up a slow song, and the fangirls immediately started pushing and shoving one another to ask Sasuke for a dance. Sakura wondered how they got invited.

Sasuke ignored them, instead turning to look at Sakura. "Sakura, dance?"

Inner Sakura made faces at the crowd and pumped her fist in victory, while Outer Sakura blushed slightly and allowed Sasuke to drag her out onto the dance floor.

Sasuke pulled Sakura closer, and draped an arm around her, the other arm guiding her in a dance. Sakura made her feet dance, but all the while she was dizzily wondering just how Sasuke's chest got so muscular and just how she managed to get pressed up against that chest.

Sakura's jade eyes met with Sasuke's obsidian ones. He gazed serenely down at her, pausing to brush a hair out of her face.

Sakura blushed.

"Sakura, you've grown," Sasuke murmured.

"As have you, Sasuke."

* * *

A/N: Bleeeeeargh. Sorry if this moved a bit too quickly, you might be able to guess what happens next, eheh eheh. And yes, the ball is VERY AU but can't you just imagine Sasuke and Sakura dancing together! It would be so kawaii (which is why I wrote about it)!

Reviews will be, as always, greatly appreciated. Flames will be used to heat up cold ramen (the horror of cold ramen!)


	3. Confessions

**Cherry Blossoms – Chapter 3**

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Naruto. Sadly, that includes Sasuke.

This is the chapter where EVERYTHING comes rushing at you in a blur. This is the chapter where we backtrack and lot and find out how everything happened, why everything happened, etc. etc. Er, I hope you can follow my line of thought?

Hehe, enjoy.

* * *

**_Previously…_**

Sakura's jade eyes met with Sasuke's obsidian ones. He gazed serenely down at her, pausing to brush a hair out of her face.

Sakura blushed.

"Sakura, you've grown," Sasuke murmured.

"As have you, Sasuke."

* * *

**_Sakura_**

The music slowly drifted to an end. The couples separated and headed off to their respective places around the large ballroom, but Sakura couldn't bring herself to sever the contact she had with Sasuke.

His lean arms held her so comfortingly, and she could feel the muscles ripple under his body when he moved. Everything felt so…right.

Was this really the Sasuke she had known since she was a mere Genin? Sasuke and Sakura had worked hard to become the Jounin they were today, and many obstacles had been jumped over in the process. Sasuke had had to gain the whole village's trust again after his little stint with Orochimaru.

Sakura had been there for Sasuke every minute of the long and grueling journey.

Sasuke's voice jolted Sakura back to her surroundings. His voice rumbled in his throat, and Sakura could almost feel it, his hot breath sliding over her ear…

"Come onto the balcony with me."

Sakura nodded mutely, and followed Sasuke out to a fairly private balcony, obscured from the inside by thick curtains in front of the door, and from the outside by the thick foliage from the trees encircling the area.

Sasuke stood, regarding the clear night sky. A star faintly twinkled, and Sakura saw the faint twinkle reflected in Sasuke's eyes.

And then, those strong, warm arms were around her again, and Sasuke's chin rested atop her pink hair. Sakura couldn't believe how tall he had gotten, but right then, her mind was incoherently thinking that this was really Sasuke, Sasuke who was embracing her so intimately, Sasuke's breath that made the wisps of hair on her head dance, and Sasuke's heart that thudded against her back.

"Sakura…I'd like to talk…" Sasuke spoke tentatively, and Sakura immediately grew concerned. It simply wasn't like the great Uchiha to speak in a tentative manner. Sasuke untangled his arms from her body, and Sakura felt a rush of cold pierce the area where Sasuke had broken contact. Sasuke stepped a few paces away from her, and Sakura oddly understood that Sasuke was about to say something important, and that he needed his space.

"It's…I don't know. There's this feeling, and I can't get it out of my system. I know it can't be love, because I lost all of my will to love when Itachi murdered my whole clan. But…every time I see you, I think of what I did wrong, and why I care for you so damn much…."

Sakura grew acutely aware that somehow the Uchiha was trying to string several sentences together, but failing miserably at it. But however, her mind was currently growing haywire as the Uchiha confessed these feelings for her, no matter how hard and painful the process may be for a damned Uchiha to confess his damned feelings.

Sakura had been put through enough of a damned Uchiha _not_ confessing his damned feelings, that it felt a bit odd to be standing there, listening to Sasuke.

"And then there were the dreams, and I don't know…"

Sakura glanced at Sasuke. She knew that Sasuke had had horrible nightmares about Orochimaru and Itachi ever since he had gotten back, and she had often soothed him in the hospital through the mental pain wracking his body.

"The dreams…were about you, Sakura…"

Sakura's breath caught in her throat, and all she could do was stare stupidly at Sasuke. _Move, Sakura, move!_

"I'm so confused, because I can't love, and I…dammit," Sasuke finally muttered and quickly strode over to Sakura.

"S-Sasuke?" A very surprised Sakura asked right before Sasuke's lips crashed down onto hers.

* * *

**_Sasuke_**

I stood there, gazing at the moon. It had been very similar a night to his one when Itachi killed everybody in my clan. I remember running, frantically in the night, through the darkness, with only the moon guiding me.

I ran for so long in the darkness. I was bloodthirsty, and I only lived to kill Itachi. My mind fought daily battles, but I didn't care. I had to get strong; I had to avenge my clan.

For I, Uchiha Sasuke, was an avenger. I don't' know if I still am.

Sakura had always been there for me. No matter how annoying she was when we were a Genin, always chasing after me, I could tell that in her own twisted sense, she truly cared about Naruto and I.

The pain had been so great when Orochimaru cursed me that fateful night in the Forest of Death during our Team 7's Chuunin exam. Oh yes, there was physical pain, but also the harsh memories that often invaded my mind as a result of the curse mark. Those memories that I thought I had left behind, they came back and haunted me mercilessly.

The curse mark twisted my mind to the point when I almost seemed to be listening to Orochimaru in my mind. I felt invaded, but I couldn't do anything else.

On the night I left, Sakura had cried.

Sakura had stood there, in the pale night, and begged me not to go. Her tears had slid down her face, dripping down onto the pavement. The cruel voice in my mind told me to go, hit the girl, and leave with the Sound Four that were waiting for me. But, my heart jerked me in the other direction.

"_Arigato," Sasuke whispered, materializing from behind Sakura._

_Sakura gasped, before she faded into black._

I laid Sakura gently on the bench, before I cast one long last look at the village that had held some of the best and worst memories a child, and a shinobi, should ever have to go through.

But then, the voice got too strong, and I set off to be the obedient container to Orochimaru. I regret all the people I pained and killed as a result of being the sick little puppy to carry out the demands of the voice in my head.

That, was the price of power.

* * *

The pain is still too fresh and too harsh for me to recount the memories of killing Orochimaru, my flesh bloodied by not only my own blood, but also by the blood of one of the Legendary Three Sannin, the blood of a man who had thought only for his own well-being. 

A few days after Orochimaru was dead, I felt confidant enough in my powers to go seek out Itachi, and challenge my dear brother to one last duel.

I wouldn't want to say the details, but the battle was long, hard, and stretched my chakra to its limit.

However, Itachi lay dying underneath me as the Sharingan slowly faded from his eyes, to be replaced with the hard black eyes I was so used to seeing as a little boy.

Itachi's last words to me are something I will remember forever.

_Sasuke stood, crouching, his breath coming out in short heavy gasps. It was all over for Itachi._

_Miraculously, Itachi still managed to speak. "So, little brother…you managed to defeat me…but that doesn't prove anything. You will…lead a lonely, bitter life…for you have lost the will to love. I…lost that…when I…murdered…everybody. I…can see it in…your eyes, little brother. Don't…deny it. You…cannot love."_

_Itachi closed his eyes at last and eventually, his breathing stopped. Sasuke stumbled to his feet, the haziness closing in on him. Sasuke knew that Itachi's sidekick, Kisame, would have to be around her somewhere, but Itachi was dead, and that was all that mattered…_

I remember very little about my return to Konoha. The first memory I have is waking up in a clean room, and the room smelled faintly of…cherry blossoms.

Sakura was sitting on a chair next to the hospital bed, dozing. I observed her, and noticed that she hadn't changed at all. My lip curled up into a smile. Some medic-nin she was, sleeping when she was supposed to keep watch on a patient!

Sakura looked so angelic, sleeping on the bed. Her petal-pink hair spilled messily onto the pristine white sheets, and her deep breathing was the only sound in the still room.

I had been running blindly in the darkness for so long, but then, as I looked at Sakura, I thought I saw the weakest ray of light begin to pierce through the darkness.

* * *

Holding her always felt so right. My arms would gently wrap around her petite frame, and she was short enough so that my head could rest on her hair. She always smelled like her namesake, cherry blossoms. The smell of them was intoxicating, but a good kind of intoxication, the kind you would never want to pull away from. I loved the way I could feel the movements of her body as she breathed, and the soft beating of her heart against mine. 

Unconsciously, I stepped away from her, and started babbling. I don't know how I did it, but I just stood there, trying to look anywhere but straight at Sakura, and babbled like a fool that drank a tad bit too much. "Love", "feelings", "confusion", "dreams", and "Sakura" all spilled out of him.

At last, I risked a glance at Sakura, and I saw her staring at me with a look of confusion, but also acceptance written on her face. I couldn't stand it—I needed to know, now…

"Dammit," I muttered, before my feet carried me across the balcony.

I think I distinctly heard her say my name in surprise right before I kissed her.

* * *

**_Sakura_**

Sakura had never felt so free, so liberated. She could feel Sasuke's pulse pounding through their kiss, and she never wanted to leave the sweet lips that were pressed against hers.

At first, Sakura had stood immobilized by shock, before a warm feeling overswept her, and she had forced Sasuke into a better position for her to kiss him.

At last, the two Jounin broke apart, gasping heavily for breath.

"I can't love," Sasuke murmured, bemused, his fingers gently touching his lips. "But, why am I feeling this, then?"

Sakura smiled, and gently stroked her fingertips down Sasuke's cheek, eliciting a small shudder from the Uchiha. "No, Sasuke, you can love. You just need the…right person to show you." 

Sasuke blinked his eyes in acceptance, before enveloping Sakura into his embrace again. His lips brushed against her ear, and Sakura felt her knees almost give out on her. She could hear him and feel him in lieu of actually seeing him. She felt his fingers pressing into her back, and his harsh breath leaving warm puffs of air on her ear and face.

"Sakura, I want you to be the right person to show me how to love. I…trust you, Sakura."

Sakura twisted, surprised, to stare at Sasuke. Sasuke still didn't let go of Sakura, and Sakura saw that his eyes were as unreadable as ever.

But, Sakura still grinned at Sasuke before burying her head into the crook of his neck. The intimate positions she had ended up being in with Sasuke were now all too easy to slip into. If somebody had told a twelve-year-old Sakura that, back when she was only a Genin on Team 7, she would have scoffed at the thought.

Inhaling deeply, Sakura smelled the familiar Sasuke scent that was so overpowering. It brought back so many bittersweet memories to her mind.

Sakura spoke, her voice slightly muffled by the material her face was currently buried in.

"If that's what you want me to be, Sasuke, I'll do it. It's worth it, if it means gaining you trust."

Sakura didn't see Sasuke, but when she said those words, Sasuke smiled for the first time in months, a genuine smile.

* * *

**A/N:** Yay for a pretty long chapter, considering how much I write...well, that's the basic stuff for now. I hope all the "stuff from the past" makes sense, lol. 

Well, hopefully everybody knows the drill. You review, you make the author happy, which in turn, gives you another chapter sooner. :D

Flames will be used to make imitation fire jutsus. (No, not really.)


	4. First, Friends

**Cherry Blossoms - Chapter Four**

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and anything associated with Naruto.

Okay, now this is the more light-hearted chapter that the readers get after the author has just come back from a huge hiatus, where Sasuke and Sakura get to know each other better and start down the road to being good friends (with a kiss now and then) and perhaps even more…

::winkywinky::

Okay, now do enjoy!

* * *

**Previously…**

Sakura spoke, her voice slightly muffled by the material her face was currently buried in.

"If that's what you want me to be, Sasuke, I'll do it. It's worth it, if it means gaining you trust."

Sakura didn't see Sasuke, but when she said those words, Sasuke smiled for the first time in months, a genuine smile.

* * *

_Two mornings later…_

The nurse cowered before Sakura, whose anger level was currently rising extremely fast.

"G-Gomen, Sakura-san," she squeaked.

Sakura ignored the stuttering nurse and strode down the hallway, growling.

"NARUTO!" she yelled, banging open the door to his room. "WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT RIPPING THE BANDAGES ON YOUR SIDE?"

The powerful Kyuubi jinchuuruki peered out at her from under his covers, reduced to a trembling mass with blond hair and fear in his blue eyes.

"Gomenasai, gomenasai, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura drooped and grabbed some more bandages from the cabinet, neatly affixing them onto Naruto's injury again. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again, ne?"

Naruto grinned happily at his old friend. "Hai, Sakura-chan! I guess I just wasn't being careful…eheh."

"Yes, that's how you got the injury in the first place," Sakura observed tactfully.

"…Oh, right."

A shadow shifted by the door, and Sakura turned to see Hinata cautiously step into the room, as shy as ever.

"Konnichiwa, Sakura-chan, Naruto-kun," she stammered. In her arms she held a massive steaming bowl. "I-I got some ramen for Naruto-kun," she continued, looking away.

Naruto grinned in glee. "Oh boy! Ramen!"

"Here, Hinata," Sakura said, standing up. "You can have this seat. I have to go fill out some papers anyways. Just keep an eye on Naruto and make sure he doesn't tear his bandages again."

Naruto pouted. "I will _not_!"

Hinata blushed and gave the bowl of ramen to Naruto.

As Sakura shut the door, she heard Naruto enthusiastically attacking the ramen.

* * *

_Haruno Sakura._

_Haruno Sakura._

_Haruno Sakura._

Sakura had never imagined her name would be so boring, but upon signing documents after documents the hospital required she sign (since Sakura was quite sure Tsunade was enjoying another nap on her desk), Sakura was quite sure that she never wanted to see her name again.

_Haruno Sakura._

_Haruno Sakura._

_Haruno Saku—_

Wait. Sakura picked up the paper again, and her eyes widened when she re-read it.

_Sakura,_

_I'd like you to meet me for lunch, if possible, today at noon, at Ichiraku, just to talk. Afterwards, if you have time, perhaps we could have a small spar at our old genin training grounds. I'm free all afternoon from ANBU (thank kami). _

_Sincerely,_

_Sasuke_

Sakura grinned upon receiving the note, before she realized half of her name was scrawled across the bottom. Whoops.

And Sasuke wanted a "small spar"? Hah, when two jounin sparred (especially two jounin who had trained under two of the legendary Sannin), it was never "small".

It was a good thing Sakura could easily slip out of the hospital whenever she wanted (some of the perks of being on the top level of authority), since she had a feeling that this "talk" and "small spar" would last quite some time.

* * *

Sasuke was as polite and chivalrous as possible, which made Inner Sakura laugh. Outer Sakura nodded and smiled, face twitching from trying to contain the laughter. 

At last, she failed miserably, choosing the opportune moment to laugh into her ramen bowl when Sasuke affixed the napkin neatly onto his lap and positioned his chopsticks just so perfectly.

Sakura hadn't really meant to fall into the ramen bowl, and she didn't, since she didn't quite _spill_ her ramen all over the place—

She just happened to get a face full of beef ramen.

"Elegant, Sakura," Sasuke told her with a straight face.

"If I hadn't been so busy laughing at you, it never would have happened," Sakura muttered, wiping her face off with her napkin.

Sasuke leaned forward, capturing her lips in the most fleeting of kisses, the tip of his tongue gently tracing the curve of her lips before Sakura overcame the moment of shock to kiss back.

Sasuke pulled back, his chopsticks-free hand brushing a strand of rose hair out of her face.

"You taste like beef ramen," he stated seriously, but a glimmer of humor shone in those deep onyx eyes.

Inner Sakura howled.

* * *

_At sunset…_

"Sasuke!" Sakura called, trekking through the dirt and leaves that had been churned up during their "small spar".

"Sasuke! Come out already! I surrender!"

Sakura was _not_ expecting Sasuke to leap at her from behind and have the kiss of a cold kunai press up against her neck.

She turned to stare into spinning Sharingan eyes, the glowing red burning into her eyes as she gathered chakra, determined not to fall into the endless depths of the steadily burning red color enveloping her, pushing against her…

And then, Sasuke abruptly broke off the contact, his eyes fading back to the normal dark color they were, the kunai snaking away from her neck and back into his weapons pouch.

"I win," he proclaimed, turning away and striding off with his hands tucked into his pockets. Sakura expected him to start whistling any moment now, except for the fact that Uchiha Sasuke _did not_ whistle.

"Uchiha Sasuke, don't you _dare_ leave me behind," Sakura muttered, sending a burst of chakra to her feet to almost literally fly across the clearing to stand next to Sasuke.

"Hi there, loser," Sasuke said lightheartedly.

"Forehead-girl was bad enough," Sakura said hotly, punching Sasuke in the side.

"You hurt me so," Sasuke mocked. "…Loser."

Inner Sakura howled.

Again.

* * *

If anyone had asked a twelve year old Sakura if she could picture herself walking alongside Uchiha Sasuke, joking and laughing and trading light punches with each other, Sakura would have blinked and asked them to repeat the question, because she was quite sure she just heard the question mention "Sasuke" and "joking" in the same sentence. 

And if anyone had asked a twelve year old Sakura if she could see Sasuke tenderly kissing her once more under the foliage of the trees as the sun glowed a fiery orange before slowly disappearing beneath the horizon, Sakura would have swooned and fantasized about it for precisely five seconds before growling "I wish" and stomping off.

But eight years later, this was exactly the situation Sakura was in as Sasuke's hands delicately traced her jaw line.

He was much taller than her, but at that moment, Sakura's petite hands wound around his wrists and eased them away before her fingertips lay feather-light caresses down his cheek.

For once, Sakura hesitantly and slowly initiated the kiss, her body falling into Sasuke's, and his arms pulling her against his chest.

When they broke apart, Sakura ducked her head, trying to clear the dazed look she knew she probably had in her eyes.

"If it's possible, perhaps we could do this again," she murmured, noticing all of a sudden how Sasuke's impossibly warm arms still hadn't released her from their grasp.

Sasuke smiled down at her, and Sakura realized just then how much she loved his smile.

Taking her slim hand in his, he led her off towards the lights that marked Konoha. "I'd like that," was his quiet reply.

As the two shinobi entered the city gates together, the first twinkling stars appeared in the little light left of dusk.

_To be continued…_

* * *

A/N: Huzzah, a new chapter. And if you review, you'll get another one. And another one. And maybe (gasp) another one! Lol, I'm sure you get the point. :D ::points to the review button:: 


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